


Breathe. In, Out.

by Radicata



Category: The Adventure Zone (Podcast)
Genre: Established Relationship, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-10-29
Updated: 2016-10-29
Packaged: 2018-08-27 16:18:49
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 2,085
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8408350
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Radicata/pseuds/Radicata
Summary: He holds his breath and releases. In. Out. His shaking fingers, flickering between bone and skin, grab at Taako’s shoulders. Taako looks at him, eyes daring.Breath. In. Out.





	1. Cold Call

It’s three months into their relationship when Taako asks the question. They’re lying in Taako’s bed, Kravitz tracing lazy circles on Taako’s back when he asks, “Hey, Krav? What will happen when I die?”  
  
Kravitz stills before saying a simple, “I don’t know.”  
  
“You’ll have to take me to hell or whatever, right?” Kravitz nods, “So, what happens to… us, I guess.”  
  
Kravitz feels heavy, feels the weight of the underworld pulling at him and notices his hand flickering between skeletal and human.  
  
“What do you mean?” Kravitz asks, already knowing the answer.  
  
“Will you stay with me?” Taako says, hesitantly.  
  
“I… I can’t…” Kravitz says, “I’m unable to interact with souls once they leave my custody. I don’t know what happens to the people I, uh, reap.”  
  
“Oh,” Taako’s voice is small, his ears droop slightly, “I guess we’ll have to deal with that when it comes, then.”  
  
Kravitz nods, returning to tracing smooth circles into Taako’s back. A quiet settles over the couple. Kravitz is about to attempt comforting words when Taako shoots up and sticks his finger in Kravitz’s chest.  
  
“You need to remember to breathe, my dude. That shit is creepy as all hell. Feels like I’m lying with a fuckin’ corpse.”  
  
Kravitz chuckles, begins to breathe.  
  
“Sorry, it’s usually a conscious decision for me when I breathe. Not requiring air makes breathing seem useless…”  
  
“Well, it’s useful for me to not feel like I’m boning a corpse.”  
  
Kravitz lets out a bark of laughter, makes a mental note to continue breathing. He feels a sudden tug at his insides, at the very core of his being. His expression sobers.  
  
“I’ve got to go,” Kravitz sighs, “the Raven Queen calls.”  
  
Taako pouts, leaning in to kiss Kravitz. When they separate he says, “Tell her her good buddy Taako says ‘Hi!’”  
  
“Of course,” Kravitz replies, smiling before his flesh melts away and he steps into a rift.  
  
Once Kravitz is gone Taako huffs and falls into his pillows. He stares at his ceiling, thoughts flying at the speed of sound about his death.

\----

Kravitz steps out of the rift into the Raven Queen’s throne room. She regards him bemusedly, her black eyes glistening.

“You’ve got a new contract, Kravitz.” She flicks her hand, a small scroll with a name appears and floats towards him. ‘River Medbridge’ is written in plain, neat letters.

“I’ve given her a month to have her goodbyes, it’s time she comes to rest.”

“I- yes, my queen,” Kravitz says, “but, I have a, uh, a question, if you’ll allow it.” Kravitz asks, his mind stuck on Taako’s question.

“What happens to the souls after I collect them?” She says, not unkindly. At Kravitz’s nod she continues, “I send them for judgement. They’re then sent to whatever afterlife they deserve, based on their life’s accomplishments. I know of your… escapades, shall we say, with the young elven man. I know you care for him deeply,” Kravitz looks away abashedly. ”I wish I could tell you what will happen to him after he meets his end, but that area is not my domain.”

“Thank you,” Kravitz says curtly, and turns to leave.

“I do know, however,” Kravitz pauses, “that you won’t be able to see him. Afterwords. It pains me to say this, as I do care for you, my dear, but the afterlife is uncaring to the whims of mortals and gods alike.”

“Thank you, my queen,” Kravitz says, quieter. He bows at the queen and steps into a rift, off to collect the souls of the dying.


	2. alright im already out of ideas for chapter titles

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> i mean... theres gotta be drama.......

Another day, another shitty fight with some shitty evil turtles. Taako watches Magnus try to calm the turtle, speaking to it in gentle whispers. Taako then watches Magnus get slapped by the fin of an angry turtle.

He sighs, he cracks his knuckles, he fires magic missile at the turtle. The umbrastaff recoils at the spell’s power. The turtle roars angrily, snapping its beak-thing angrily.

The turtle forgets Magnus, who doesn’t want to hurt it. It focuses its attention on Taako, moving far too fast for a turtle. It’s claw slashes right across Taako’s chest.

Taako falls. He slumps to the ground immediately, his grip on the umbrastaff weakening. His chest is burning, he thinks he hears Magnus yelling for Merle.

Taako doesn’t remember anything else from the battle except for yelling. So much yelling. He vaguely recalls Magnus lifting him into his arms. Magnus is maybe - probably - crying as he carries Taako away from the site.

One spell slot later and Taako is awake, but groggy as all hell. When he opens his eyes he’s in a small, uncomfortable cot. Magnus is sitting beside him, head in hands. Merle is passed out on the floor.

“Hot diggity shit, what the fuck happened to me?” Taako says, his voice rougher and more strained than he would like it to be.

Magnus’ head shoots up to reveal big crocodile tears streaming down his cheeks. His face breaks into a grin and he pulls Taako into a bone crushing hug. He releases Taako when he gasps in pain.

“Sorry,” Magnus wipes his tears away, “We were fighting that big ass turtle and the thing just went straight for you. I-I tried to block it but it was so big and-and Merle was so far away, and we couldn’t get to you without getting through the turtle so we had to fight it without you and you were so pale and bleeding so much and I couldn-we couldn’t just leave you out in the open so i got out the pocket workshop and Merle healed you and, oh, he’s passed out and-”

“Mango, my boy, take a chill pill. Taako ain’t dyin’ yet, he’s got big plans.”

“I- yeah, sorry,” Magnus rubs the back of his head, “Oh, shit! I should wake Merle!”

Magnus grabs Merles shoulders and lifts him up to his feet. Merle wakes up about 4 seconds afterwords.

“Holy shit! Taako-”

Taako waves his hand dismissively, “It’s cool, my dude, Magnus filled me in.”

Merle nods, stroking his beard, “Did he tell you we called your boyfriend?”

“I’m sorry, what?” Taako asks disbelievingly.

“Kravitz! Death! The grim reaper! Your boyfriend!” Magnus says, holding out his fingers as he counts out the amount of nicknames he can think of.

Taako groans. He puts his face in his hands. He hears a rift open, hears the footsteps of Death himself enter Magnus’ workshop.

“Taako, I- are you alright?” Kravitz says, quickly shifting into his more human form.

Taako can feel his face heating up. He looks up, sees Merle watching eagerly, Magnus fidgeting awkwardly.

“Yeah, I’m fine. Never been better! Peachy keen!” He says, forcing a smile. Out of the corner of his eye he can see Magnus pick Merle up and carry him out of the pocket workshop.

Kravitz sits on the edge of the cot. He reaches for Taako’s hand. Taako flinches at the cold and Kravitz pulls back.

They sit in silence for a while. Kravits stares at the ground while Taako stares at his hands in his laps.

“I asked her. The Raven Queen,” Kravitz says quietly.

“Hmm?” Taako says, looking up.

“I asked the Raven Queen. What happens, after I bring her the souls. Long story short, we can’t… see each other. After you die.” Kravitz won’t make eye contact with Taako.

Taako doesn’t say anything. The silence between the two grows thick.

“Taako, I-” Kravitz says suddenly, “I can’t- I can’t care about people. In this line of work. I’m immortal, I- when I heard that you got hurt, I dropped everything. I was going to tear myself apart if I didn’t get to you. I-”

“It’s fine,” Taako says softly. Kravitz looks up, eyes wide.

Taako is staring at his lap. His face shows no emotion.

“Taako-” Kravitz starts.

“I get it. I understand, I- you need to be impartial for your job, and I- I need to focus on those relics. I get it.” Now Taako is the one avoiding eye contact.

“I’m sorry, Taako, I wish…”

“I know. Maybe you should go, though.” Kravitz nods, resigned.

“And, hey,” Taako says, “keep on breathing.”

“I will,” Kravitz says, slowly becoming skeletal, “I will.” He leaves through a rift, leaving Taako in an empty room.

Taako lies back down. He stares at the wall blankly. He breathes.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i dont know how emotions work lol


	3. Chapter 3

The trio successfully hand in another relic. They’re each awarded a hefty sum of money by The Director and spend almost all of it at Fantasy Costco. They each go their separate ways on the moon base, each preparing for the next grand relic in their own way.

Taako decides to spend his time cooking. It once relaxed him, back in the days of summer and hope. Back before he became responsible for so many lives lost.

He makes something simple - a cake. Something he could make with his eyes closed and one hand tied behind his back.

It’s been a week since Kravitz and Taako split. A week since Taako last saw Kravitz. Taako had been doing wonderful at pushing his emotions right down the feeling drain when he hears a familiar ‘pop’ behind him.

Taako freezes. He closes his eyes, leans against the counter.

“Um,” Kravitz says, “I- uh, Hi. I guess.”

Taako slowly turns to face him.

“Hi,” he echoes. Kravitz sighs, looks at his feet.

“I- I don’t even know why I came here. I’m sorry, Taako, I just…”

Taako begins to approach Kravitz.

“I guess I want to say, fuck. I don’t know,” Taako is standing in front of him now, “God, Taako, I’m sorry. I’m sorry I’m such an idiot who got attached to a mortal, who was stupid enough to let a mortal get attached to himself, who wants, more than anything, to be able to-”

His words are muffled as Taako’s lips touch his. They’re hesitant, soft. Kravitz finds himself beginning to kiss Taako back. He pushes back, shakes his head.

“I- I’m sorry, that was stupid of me to do. I’m being selfish, you deserve a normal life with someone who can age and-”

“Breathe.” Taako commands.

Kravitz nods. He fills his lungs with air, releases the air back out.

“Taako, I- I can’t,” he says weakly, “It hurts to much. To imagine you dying. To imagine having to take your soul to a place I can’t follow. I-”

“Shut up.” Taako says, “I don’t care.”

“But-”

“No, I don’t care! Sure, it’ll hurt like hell when we have to separate but, here’s the thing. I don’t care. Krav, I know it’ll hurt. I know it fuckin’ sucks dick. I know I won’t get a normal life with you, but news flash, buddy, I live on a fuckin’ moon! So, start breathing. We’ll take this one breath at a time.”

Kravits feels the weight of the underworld. Feels the weight of Taako’s gaze. He nods.

He holds his breath and releases. In. Out. His shaking fingers, flickering between bone and skin, grab at Taako’s shoulders. Taako looks at him, eyes daring.

Breath. In. Out.

Kravitz leans into Taako, feels him gasp at the cool touch of his lips. Holds him against the wall, craving more, more.

In. Out.

Always joking, teasing, flirting. Forcing Kravitz to act mortal again, blushing, breathing.

In.

His heart beats. Just once. Enough to shock Kravitz into stillness. Taako notices, backs away with a confused look.

Out.

Another beat. Kravitz stares at Taako, eyes wide.

In.

Kravitz grabs Taako’s hand, holds it against his chest. Another beat. Kravitz is no longer reminding himself to breath, his body does it for him.

Taako grins, shit-eatingly, puts his arms around Kravitz’s neck and leaps into another kiss. Kravitz let’s himself be pushed onto Taako’s bed, where Taako climbs on top of him. His skin is so warm, Kravitz can sense the blood pushing through his veins. He can hear Taako’s heart pounding, much faster than his.

“You’re blushing,” Taako says, looking down at him from his position on top of Kravitz. Kravitz smiles, feels his skin stretch. His still shaking hands no longer flicker between bone and flesh, he no longer feels the tug of the underworld growing stronger every second he spends away from his work. He laughs.

“I think I’ve just been fired,” Kravitz says. He feels a cold force on his cheek, a silent message, freeing him to be mortal, to love freely.

“Isn’t that something,” Taako muses, before melting into Kravitz’s slowly warming body.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i feel like taako got kinda out of character towards the end but whatevs comment if ur angry abt it im bad at characterization so ill probs listen 2 you
> 
> anyways i wrote this in like 3 hours in one session with no proof reading bc im Like That
> 
> im not usually a fan of the whole immortal turned mortal to be with other mortal thing but i also think immortality must be so lonely and depressing and i think the raven queen would be cool with that. like, "go, be free, get that dong" - the raven queen, probably

**Author's Note:**

> hi! this is my first fanfic, save for some embarrassing homestuck shit way back in '12 that i never posted. whats up i havent proofread this at all..


End file.
